The Time Turner
by fightforlovex
Summary: For the first time in her life, she believed that a book could be useless. "Sometimes, Miss Granger, it is not the book that holds the powers, but the people that read them," Dumbledore responded. Maybe Ron was right, he is mad.
1. The Time Turner

**The Time Turner**

_**Chapter One**_

Hermione saw the paintings reaction to Harry walking into what used to be Dumbledore's office. She watched them jump up and down, their excitement obvious. She herself had agreed with Harry on returning the Elder Wand to Dumbledore's tomb where it belonged. Yet as she stood in the office, a somewhat empty feeling settling in her stomach, her eyes wandered around the room, barely registering Harry's words, "And I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

Silence followed his statement, each of them consumed by their own thoughts. Ron broke the silence, looking down and rubbing the back of his neck. Hermione knew he was trying to hide his tears.

"I'm going to see how mum, George, and the rest of the family are holding up." He looked up at Harry and Hermione. "You can come if you want to." Harry nodded his head silently and walked over to the doorway. Ron followed him before he turned to Hermione. "You can come too, you know." Hermione's eyes stopped moving around the office and she looked straight at him. She nodded her head and opened her mouth to speak.

"I'll be there soon. I'm just going to sit in here for a few minutes if that's okay with you?" she said, feeling her heart break as she saw the tears fighting to spill over his eyes. Ron nodded his head, sending Hermione a half smile before leaving the office for the Great Hall where Fred, Lupin, and Tonks now lay, among countless others who also died. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying at the thought. She needed to be strong. For now, at least.

Silence passed over the room as Hermione was the only occupant. The paintings of the headmasters had all left, gone to join the portraits outside the Great Hall. All except for one of course. Albus Dumbledore stared down at the bushy haired brown girl who sat on the ground in the middle of the office. His half-moon spectacles slid down his long nose a bit.

Turning in her spot on the floor, Hermione looked up at Dumbledore's portrait. "I wish there was a way that not as many people could have died in this." Hermione continued, ignoring the fact her voice was cracking as tears began to roll slowly down her cheeks. "I wish there was a way we knew all about this so we could have prevented so many things; a way in which we could have destroyed all the Horcruxes without Voldemort knowing and killed him a long time ago."

Dumbledore nodded at Hermione's wishful thinking. Repeating his words from five years before, he spoke to Hermione in his famous quiet voice saying, "Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." With a wink and a simple glance across the room, Dumbledore stood up from his painted seat and walked out of the portrait.

Hermione watched her old headmaster vanish beyond the canvas. Once he was gone, she looked across the room to see the stand where Fawkes the Phoenix used to sit every time she had walked into the office that Dumbledore had once occupied. Standing up, she walked over to it, running her hands over the cold gold tray where ashes lay from his last burning day. A sigh escaped Hermione's lips. Fawkes had left Hogwarts when Dumbledore died, so how could he help her now.

As she turned to leave, a book case behind the old birds' sitting place caught her eye. Hermione dropped her hand back to her side and walked over to it. She noticed on one shelf a few books leaned on others. This must have been where the Horcrux books were. She ran her fingers against the bindings; some old, some new. She smiled as familiar titles appeared like International Law of Apparition and Quidditch Through The Ages.

Hermione's eyes looked past every title as she looked farther and farther up. On the utmost shelf, in the far right corner, were seven books that caught her attention right away. Each one contained the name that belonged to one of her best friends; _Harry Potter_. She held out her shaky hands and felt silly as she summoned the books. "Accio… _Harry Potter_ books?" she said in a rather questioning tone. The books gave a jerk then swiftly flew off the shelf and landed in her hands.

She dropped the books on the headmasters' desk quickly as if it burned her much like the artifacts in the Lestrange vault did. After staring at them for several moments, she picked up the book that had the number one on the top of the binding. _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_. Hermione turned the books over one by one, reading each summary.

"Yes, I guess you have found out that I am quite a fan of Mrs. Rowling's works," said a voice that made Hermione jump out of her deep thought. She looked up to find Dumbledore back in his portrait and sitting in the chair as he was before.

"These," she began, picking up a book. "These… books are going to help us? How? It's not like the books have magical powers which can change the past," Hermione said, throwing down the book in anger. For the first time in her life, she believed that a book could be useless.

"Sometimes, Miss Granger, it is not the book that holds the powers, but the people that read them," Dumbledore responded. Hermione opened her mouth to respond when Dumbledore's portrait held up his hand. "I believe that turning the green knob three times shall do the trick." With a smile, Dumbledore turned away from Hermione and opened a book he had in his cloak.

Hermione sighed, shoved the seven books into the purse that she, surprisingly, still had, and walked towards the door. Before she left, she mumbled, "Maybe Ron was right, he is mad." When Hermione heard the old professor chuckle, she sent a glare his way before walking down the marble steps.

_Three times shall do the trick_. The sentenced repeated itself over and over again in her head. Where had she heard it before? As she came closer to the Great Hall, Hermione remembered suddenly. It was third year when she had a time turner. She turned the golden knob below the hour glass before turning the glass three times to go back earlier in that day so she could take extra lessons. Oh how a mess that was.

Hermione saw Professor McGonagall walking out of the Great Hall in a hurry towards the direction of her office. It took Hermione a few moments to register for herself to run after McGonagall. She ran through the castle, following the trail of her old transfiguration teacher. When she reached her office, a sob echoed throughout the empty corridor. It came from within the office.

Slowly, Hermione opened the door to see Professor McGonagall in her chair, crying into her hands. Hermione stood in the doorway awkwardly not knowing what to do. As the professors' cries began to subside, Hermione spoke up.

"Professor McGonagall?" she said in a quiet yet firm voice. The gray haired witch looked up at her, surprised, and quickly wiped her tears away.

"Ah, um, Miss Granger. How can I help you?" McGonagall asked, wiping a few more stray tears away hastily. Hermione weighed her options quickly within her mind. She couldn't tell McGonagall that she wanted her time turner from third year. What if she had returned it to the ministry right when she got it back and it had gotten destroyed? Even if McGonagall still had her time turner, she probably wouldn't even let her have it since she stressed to Hermione a countless number of times that it was very dangerous for wizards to meddle with time. "Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall repeated.

"Oh. I was just wondering how…" she paused for a second, thinking of an excuse before looking back at her old teacher. "I was wondering how the Weasley's are holding up?" She bit her lip as she watched new tears form in the older woman's eyes.

"They are… holding up under the circumstances. It is most unfortunate that Mr. Fred Weasley had to…" Professor McGonagall chose her words wisely, careful to not let how upset she was about this show, "to… lose his life in this horrible turn of events." Hermione nodded her head as tears prickled her eyes. Fred and George are like her own brothers that she's never had. Without one, the other is incomplete. Oh George, just imagine how he must be feeling. Every time he has to look into a mirror, he sees himself… and Fred.

Hermione bit her lip before rushing over to hug McGonagall. She clutched the young girl, who stood there surprised at the reaction, as if she were a lifeline. Her sobs mixed with the other witches' cries. Some time paused before the sobs subsided and the girls let go of each other.

"I am terribly sorry, Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall, repeating the hasty action of wiping her tears like before. "I must go back to the Great Hall. I'm sorry." With that, McGonagall rushed out of her office, hurriedly making her way back to where Harry, the Weasleys, and countless other families stood. Hermione slowly approached the desk and ignored the flow of guilt coming down upon her. She needed to do this, for a better future.

She searched through countless drawers and found nothing expect paper, quills, and things that were probably confiscated from James and Sirius when they were in school. Hermione opened the smallest and last drawer in the desk. Upon its open, the drawer gave a golden spark that disappeared as quickly as it came. That was when Hermione spotted what she was looking for; a time turner. She picked it up, noticing the second one beside it. Since when did McGonagall have two?

Shaking her head, Hermione clutched her purse, put the time turner around her neck, and turned the green knob three times just like Dumbledore had told her then the hourglass three times as well. The sensation of flying backwards consumed her and blurry figures flew by as if in rewind on a muggle VHS. A gasp escaped Hermione's lips as the images suddenly stopped. She had a splitting headache and didn't notice the shocked look on a considerably younger McGonagall as she walked through the doorway.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" McGonagall said, clearly irritated. Hermione's eyes flew open and her mouth sputtered, attempting to think of a response.

"Uh… hello."

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**A/N::**

_**Well, um, hello there. I think this was a pretty good first chapter so far. I wanted to upload this on Halloween for James and Lilys' 29th deathday but FanFiction disagreed. Anyway here it is.**_

_**I've been dying to read the actual British versions of the Harry Potter books but no, I'm stuck with the American versions. Boo. So the first book is going to be from the American version, I just used the British title because, it'd be weird to have the American version instead of the British version in a British school, right? Haha well, that's my thought anyway.**_

_**Well, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I know many, **_many_**, people have done "reading the books" and "someone goes back to the past" but sometimes I just want to change who is there or how people react to things. Plus, I feel it's more of reading of the books than interactions between who is there and their reactions. **_

_**By the way, I really love my title. It could mean the actual time turner or the person who has the time turner! See? :D Okay, maybe you don't but hey! I thought it was pretty clever. Anyway, until next time, goodbye. :)**_


	2. Convincing Mrs Weasley

**The Time Turner**

_**Chapter 2**_

"And I repeat, can I help you?" McGonagall said again, the annoyance clear in her voice as she walked over and sat behind her desk.

Hermione spoke as she turned towards the door, "I'm in the wrong office. I was looking for Professor Dumbledore's. I'm sorry." She hurried out of there as fast as she could and ran down the corridor as quickly as her tired legs would allow her, getting yelled at by a prefect in the process for not having her uniform on. Soon enough she appeared in front of the stone gargoyles that guarded the office.

"Password?" one of them said in a deep, slow voice. Hermione racked her brain for the password she heard once before but nothing came to mind.

"I'm sorry but I need to get to Professor Dumbledore. And quickly. It's an emergency!" she said. Panic had finally decided to drop in for a visit and reside in her mind. What if Dumbledore wasn't headmaster right now? What if Dumbledore wasn't even at Hogwarts at this time? Did he ever leave Hogwarts? What time was she even in?

"How may I help you?" a kind voice said behind her. Hermione turned on the spot to see Dumbledore looking incredibly younger and with a bit shorter beard.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione said. She had a small smile on her face and felt a little shocked to see the late headmaster in person. Dumbledore clapped his hands together and smiled wide. He walked over to the stone gargoyles and motioned for Hermione to come along.

"Password?"

"Turkey leg," Dumbledore responded and turned towards Hermione. "I am quite fond of them this time of year." He and Hermione ascended up to the headmasters office before they each sat on a different side of the desk. "I presume you are our time traveler?" Hermione opened her mouth to ask how he knew but was shushed much like she was in the present time by his portrait. "Professor Trelawney did predict more than small Harry Potter's prophecy. But of course, she was unclear of your causes to visit us from the future. The only thing we know of you personally is that you're Harry Potters' close friend." Hermione nodded her head.

"Professor Dumbledore, I've come back from the future to hopefully create a better one, starting with the past. These books," she said, pulling a book from the purse she still clutched tightly in her hand, "are the reason. They tell of Harry's life and well, frankly, he loses too many people close to him. I want to change that, and to also create a brighter future for everyone." Dumbledore nodded as he examined the book.

"May I ask what your name is?"

"Hermione Granger, Professor."

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore began as he handed Hermione the book back. "You do understand that time travel is a tricky and dangerous thing." She nodded her head.

"Yes. I used a time turner in my third year. And… you were the one that advised me to come back in time." Dumbledore watched Hermione silently. She felt like he knew what was going through her mind and that he was x-raying every thought, every memory.

"In that case Miss Granger, I offer you any help you may need. What shall we do first?" A breath that Hermione had not known she had been holding was let out. As long as Dumbledore was on her side, convincing others won't be as hard as if she was on her own.

"Professor Dumbledore, can you call an Order of the Phoenix meeting? Not here though, I have another place for that."

Hermione felt the sucking and squeezing of every organ of her body release as she and Dumbledore apparated in front of a place that she knew all too well. An Order meeting would be called once all was clear. She walked the wide, empty field and smiled big when she noticed a small house, with many levels that seemed to be added on by magic, appeared. The familiar sign which read 'The Burrow' was readable within the few minutes it took to cover the amount of ground. Hermione stopped and looked around.

Dumbledore was walking ahead of her. As far as Hermione knew, Ron had only mentioned one time that Dumbledore had come to the house personally. The way Dumbledore had seemed to welcome himself closer to the door; it seemed almost natural for him, like how it was whenever Hermione or Harry would visit. Hermione resumed walking to the door with all sorts of thoughts running through her head.

Mrs. Weasley will think she's crazy. That's all she needed right now. After a few minutes of debating with herself, Hermione took the final strides towards the door. She was not surprised that it took more than a few moments for the door to open. The Burrow seemed to be full of movement even at this time. When was this time anyway? What year could she possibly be in? The door opened and a short, very pregnant woman with red hair appeared in the doorway.

"Dumbledore!" said Mrs. Weasley. She seemed to have no breath left in her. Hermione guessed Dumbledore usually notified them if he was coming by. Mrs. Weasley had a few less worry lines on her face which Hermione guessed she had gotten from dealing with Fred and George. A pang shot through Hermione as she thought of this. It had only happened a few hours ago in her time but the wounds were still very fresh. The event hadn't even fully sunken in yet with her.

"Ah, yes. I do apologize for the surprise visit Molly. May we come in?" Dumbledore asked. It was rather unneeded since he had walked in without an answer from the woman in front of him.

"Of course! What brings you to the Burrow, if you don't mind me asking?" She seemed nervous. Hermione noticed that Mrs. Weasley was playing with her hands whenever one wasn't supporting her aching back from the pregnancy. It looked like she was close to having the baby, maybe only a month or two away.

"Mrs. Weasley, I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of the Order, Hermione Granger." This was one of the few times that Dumbledore had actually said Hermione's first name. The full name sounded weird to Hermione, like it wasn't supposed to be said by Dumbledore and he was only supposed to say 'Miss Granger'. Mrs. Weasley smiled wide at Hermione which she returned.

"Welcome dear! Oh look at you, when was the last time you ate?" she questioned Hermione. Hermione honestly did not know the last time she ate. Was it in Aberforth's bar? It had only been less than 24 hours ago yet that seemed so far away. "Come, come. The kitchen's this way. I'll make you both-" but Mrs. Weasley stopped mid-sentence as she entered the kitchen.

"Oi! Can't leave you two alone for a moment without you causing trouble!" Mrs. Weasley yelled at two redheaded boys. They were identical twins and looked no older than three. Both of their faces were covered with chocolate cake as they smiled at each other as they sat in the middle of the kitchen floor.

_Fred and George_. Hermione smiled at the thought and bit her lip to stop herself from letting the tears spring to her eyes. Fred and George. Together. This was why she was here; to change the future. She drew a deep breath and looked at the two boys as Mrs. Weasley flicked her wand at the mess before picking them both up. "I apologize dear, my husband. Oh, I don't know why but he's fascinated with muggle items! He was supposed to be watching these two."

"Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said as he turned to Hermione once Mrs. Weasley disappeared up the steps. "Fascinating man if I do say so myself." A grin had appeared on her face. That was one certain thing about Mr. Weasley, he always was fascinating.

"Oh trust me professor, I know." Hermione looked out the window. The sun was still low enough in the east to be before noon, but not by much. Very late morning, yes Hermione knew that, but of what year? Thinking of Fred and George, she quickly did the math in her head. It was 1981. She looked around the kitchen, wondering how much had changed from the earlier years. There were a few more teacups that seemed to have been fixed by magic than the ones that hadn't been broken at all. Hermione even suppressed a laugh as she witnessed Mr. Weasley's attempt at fixing a cup the muggle way; using glue. It was horribly done but for a wizard, it didn't seem too bad.

Her eyes wandered around the kitchen some more before they stopped on something. It was half behind an end cabinet, Mrs. Weasley's attempt to get it away when all her magical means didn't work, Hermione assumed. On the wall hung a calendar. It read 'June' and had the picture of a muggle boy and girl making a sand castle. Mr. Weasley had crossed out the first two dates in June and had marked the 21st with a big red circle, all three of which seemed to be created by a wand. It was only the third of June. That was good.

"I apologize for them. Don't know how I'll deal with them when they're older!" Mrs. Weasley huffed as she came back into the kitchen. She busied herself with the food she was currently preparing.

"Molly, do you mind if we have an Order of the Phoenix meeting here? It's important," asked Dumbledore as he sat down. He seemed to have clearly missed the glare Mrs. Weasley was sending him while he studied the clock which was at the end of the table. It was obvious Mrs. Weasley hadn't decided where to put it yet.

"Again?" she huffed. Her annoyance was just as clear as McGonagall's to Hermione earlier. A sigh had entered the room as Mrs. Weasley put her knife on the counter and picked up the plate of sandwiches before placing them on the table. Hermione sat beside Dumbledore and grabbed whatever sandwich was closest to her. "Fine, I guess that will be alright. But if Sirius tries-"

"I assure you," Dumbledore said, holding up a hand to signal peace, "that Sirius Black will not try anything this time. Last time… it was merely a misunderstanding."

Mrs. Weasley looked as though she didn't intend to hear the last of what Dumbledore said. Instead she continued with her questioning. "How long will this meeting be?" She looked at Dumbledore who then looked at Hermione. Hermione's face felt hot under the sudden attention.

"A while," she mumbled under her breath. She already knew that Mrs. Weasley's anger was just beginning and didn't intend on being on the receiving end of it.

"And how long is that?" Mrs. Weasley insisted, her concentration no longer on the tea pouring itself causing the cup to go crashing to the ground. Her temper was growing by now so Hermione acted fast.

"Mrs. Weasley, please hear me out before you decide anything." Mrs. Weasley looked a little reluctant to agree. "Please," Hermione begged. Their eyes met and a sort of understanding expression appeared on the older witch's face. "What I want to do is very important. Now it can't all be done in one day," at that Mrs. Weasley seemed to want to roll her eyes in an 'Of course not' sort of way but she didn't. "But it needs to be done." Hermione knew only a little bit more and Mrs. Weasley will be convinced. "If everything works out, it means a better future for everyone… including your children," Hermione finished.

The expression on Mrs. Weasley's face softened more than a bit. She hurriedly nodded her head and a chorus of "Yes, yes. Of course. As soon as possible," was uttered from her mouth. Hermione could have sworn Dumbledore even smiled at her for the explanation she gave as Mrs. Weasley rushed out of the room to check on her youngest children.

"I believe to conjure the Order meeting is next on the list," he said to her as he stood. Hermione watched as he took out his wand, ready to send a patronus out before she stopped him.

"Wait, Professor Dumbledore!" she said in a quick voice. He turned toward her, his blue eyes still seemed to be inspecting every thought she's ever had.

"Yes Miss Granger?" he asked her in the tone she always secretly hated. It was the tone that he used when he seemed to know what was about to be said or done but kept it to himself as if a private joke which only he could enjoy. Was that how she had sounded whenever she showed off during class? Oh how she dreaded that now.

"We won't need _all_ of the Order of the Phoenix here." Hermione began to play with her hands much like Mrs. Weasley had before. She was nervous for Dumbledore's reaction. She certainly didn't want him to be mad at her.

Dumbledore smiled at her and said in the same, all knowing tone as before, "It didn't seem like you needed all of them here." Hermione didn't think Dumbledore could understand, even under the intensity of her glare, how much she really hated that voice.

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**Hi again! I promise, next chapter the reading will start. I'll try to update as often as I can. And thank you guys for the support you've already shown. I appreciate it so much! :)**


	3. How He Became The Boy Who Lived

**The Time Turner**

_**Chapter 3**_

The day slowing dragged on until one o'clock when the Order meeting was set. Dumbledore had sent his patronus out to several people, all of which Hermione had to approve of first. Mrs. Weasley had to resist herself from asking Hermione questions about the future upon Dumbledore's orders. The Burrow itself wasn't as busy as it usually was since Ron, Fred, and George tucked away in their beds, Percy was reading in his room, Charlie and Bill were both at a fellow wizards' house, and Ginny, well Ginny wasn't exactly born yet.

Hermione had noticed small changes from this Burrow and the one in her time. The people, thankfully, weren't all that different. Mr. Weasley had heard as Hermione talked to Dumbledore that she was muggle-born and insisted that she come to the shed and tell him how to work a ballpoint pen. But as Hermione's internal clock told her it was one o'clock, voices were heard outside of the Burrow's front door.

"I can't believe we couldn't find anyone to watch him!" said a male voice from behind the door. Hermione stood up quickly, not knowing who the voice belonged to and wondering if it was someone from the Order or not.

"Well James, when there's an emergency Order meeting, not everyone is able to watch Harry at that moment," another voice said in a matter-of-fact tone. Hermione smiled as she guessed it was Lily and James. Maybe Harry could actually get to spend his time with his parents for once.

"I don't get why it had to be _here_," whined a third voice. Although it sounder younger and happier, Hermione knew it was Sirius.

"You used to love the Burrow, Padfoot. The only reason you hate going now is because Fred and George used accidental magic for a prank on you. And frankly, you deserved it," said a fourth voice. _Remus_. Hermione took a deep breath. She needed to keep a clear mind if they were ever going to read these books. She knew that she was going to be questioned multiple times and she wanted to have control over at least that.

Mrs. Weasley opened the door on the second knock. It was much easier to get things done around the Burrow with the children sleeping. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Lily and James Potter stood on the other side of the door. James was holding Harry, wrapped in a tightly in a blanket where, from her spot on the couch, Hermione could see black hair growing in. _And no scar_.

"Come, come. Go on into the sitting room. Everyone else will be here shortly. If you want to, you can put Harry to sleep in Ronald's room," Mrs. Weasley said to the group while ushering them all in. James nodded his head and bound up the stairs. As the others walked into the sitting room, they gave Hermione strange looks but she pretended not to see them while examining the inside of her purse.

A cough interrupted her pretend rummaging. Hermione looked up to see Remus give a small smile and a wave. "Hello there. I'm Remus Lupin." Hermione nodded.

"Hermione Granger. And I know who you are," she said before turning in her armchair to go back to pretending to rummage through her purse.

"But- what- how?" he sputtered. Hermione ignored him at all costs because if there was one thing she hated, it was repeating herself twice. James had joined the others and once he saw the look on Remus's face, decided it was best not to speak.

Mrs. Weasley ushered in Alice Longbottom to the sitting room. Hermione guessed Frank had brought Neville too since she heard the hurrying up the stairs once more.

"Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione said standing up as she followed Mrs. Weasley back towards the front door.

"Yes dear?"

"Well, I just thought I should let you know," Hermione began, fumbling with her fingers, "that the only other Order of the Phoenix members we need in the sitting room are you, Mr. Weasley, and um, Severus Snape," she said, mumbling the last few words. Mrs. Weasley gave no indication that she cared whether Severus was there or not but was more surprised by the fact that barely no one of the Order of the Phoenix was there.

"But… Not even half of the Order of the Phoenix is here! We can't possibly have-"

"I promise I'll explain everything once everyone is here." Mrs. Weasley huffed and walked over to the kitchen to grab her husband and Sirius from the extra sandwiches she made and dragged them back to the sitting room. Hermione looked out the window, waiting for Snape and Dumbledore to reappear. In the distance, she could barely make out two figures slowly approaching.

Hermione opened the front door to the Burrow once they became closer. "Miss Granger, I do hope that everyone you need is here now," said Dumbledore as he walked through the front door, Snape followed closely behind him. Hermione just nodded. Severus gave no sign of even noticing that Hermione was standing at the door. She followed behind them into the sitting room.

"I was really hoping someone would forget to tell Snivellus about the meeting this time," Sirius said as the three of them entered the room. Snape opened his mouth to respond when Hermione cut in.

"Everyone sit down now!" she said in a clearly annoyed voice. Everyone followed her directions, obviously realizing that she could have a worse temper than Lily, maybe even Mrs. Weasley. "Good. My name is Hermione Granger for those of you who weren't here when I introduced myself. Now, let me inform you that no one else will be becoming."

"What?" Lily said, standing up. "There's barely even half-"

"I know that," Hermione said, cutting her off. Lily didn't seem to like that as James urged her to sit down. "Now, this isn't exactly an Order of the Phoenix meeting either. I'd like to call this an… emergency get together."

"And what exactly are we going to do then?" asked Snape in his long, gloomy voice as he leaned back on the chair he occupied. Hermione shoved her arm into her purse, shocking a few that she knew a charm that many of them couldn't do, and grabbed the books one by one.

"We are going to read these books," she said once she placed them all onto the table. The occupants of the room looked like they just wanted to laugh.

"Read books? Are you joking? If we're supposed to read books then I'm leaving," Sirius said as he got up to leave.

"It's about your godson, Sirius," Hermione said. He turned around and looked at her shocked.

"How did you know that? How do you even know my name?" he asked her, stuttering multiple times as he tried to form sentences. The others in the room seemed to want to know that too. They looked at how differently she dressed and Hermione had forgotten that her face still had black soot on most of it.

"Look, when I tell you, you're not going to believe me," she responded.

"Try us," James said. Hermione looked around the room and noticed how differently everyone was looking at her. Snape looked like he could care less, Lily, Remus, and Alice were studying her as if they could figure it out on their own, Frank and Sirius had absolutely no clue, and James just looked like he was trying to come up with an idea that was plausible.

"I'm not from here." Hermione tried to see all their reactions. None of them seemed shocked. "I don't mean here as in place, I mean here as in time. I'm not from this time. I'm from the year 1998."

"How? The only thing I can think of is a time turner but they only go back hours, not years!" Lily said standing up.

"Actually, Mrs. Potter, I do believe there is a small green knob on the bottom of a time turner which allows the user to go back in time in years," Dumbledore said, sending a secret smile in Hermione's direction.

"The ministry was successful with creating more time turners?" Mr. Weasley asked. Hermione nodded her head.

"A time-what?" Sirius asked.

Snape snorted and said, "I didn't expect you would know."

"That's it!" Sirius said, jumping up out of his seat. He pulled out his wand as quickly as Snape did and looked ready to duel at any moment. Hermione stepped between the two, in the way of aim. "Move!" Sirius shouted at her.

"No!" Hermione said, matching the volume in his voice. "No one is going to use any dueling or fighting magic. Got it?" She looked around the room and saw some people reluctantly nodding. "If any of you do, I will take your wand. Understood?" They all nodded their heads but Sirius and Snape were still holding their wands high and glaring at each other. "Don't harm Snape in any way."

"Why not?" Sirius complained. "He's nothing but a-"

"A brave, loyal person who I'd trust my life with," she said, cutting him off. People gave her a look of shock as she said this. "Both of you; sit!" she commanded. Sirius and Snape gave each other a dirty look before reluctantly sitting down. "As I was saying, these books are about the future. They concern each and every one of us in this room. It's all through Harry's eyes though."

"Harry?" James asked. "Our Harry? Harry Potter?" Hermione nodded her head.

"Yes. And," she continued, looking around the room. "A lot of things happen between now and my time. Everyone is this room is going to be affected deeply by Voldemort." She noticed as some people winced as she said the name. Had she really been that afraid of a name just like them?

"By reading these books… you think we can change the future?" Alice asked hesitantly. Hermione just nodded her head.

"Does anyone have any questions before we begin to read?" Hermione asked. Everyone, except Dumbledore raised their hand. "Questions that are not about the future," she said, rewording her sentence. Every hand went down at that remark. "Okay then. Ready?" The occupants in the room looked at each other then nodded their heads, some still looking like they had the urge to laugh at the idea. "I'll read first."

Hermione grabbed the top book and sat down. "**Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone**," she read aloud. "**Chapter 1: ****The Boy Who Lived.**"

"Oh, I'd hate to have that nickname. But, what did the boy live from?" asked Sirius.

Lily glared at him. "Hey Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"No one except Hermione knows and I doubt she'll tell us. Plus we're not even one sentence into the book! Let us read some before you question," Lily said in an irritated voice. James snickered behind his hand and tried to hide it with a cough.

"Ahem," Hermione said, trying to gain everyone's attention. Once they looked at her, she continued reading. "**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**"

"Normal? But, the strange and mysterious things are the best!" James said. Lily rolled her eyes at her husband's actions before it clicked. Dursley. That was the name of the man Petunia was married too. But why would a chapter start off with them?

"**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**"

"What are drills?" Mr. Weasley asked as the excitement of a muggle object being talked about was bubbling within him.

"Their a muggle tool used to make holes and such," Hermione said simply before continuing to read."**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache.**

**Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.**"

"I see she hasn't changed," Snape mumbled under his breath. Remus, who was sat next to him, gave him an odd look before turning towards Hermione again.

"**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. **

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**"

"Hey! The Potters are awesome!" Sirius said as he stood up and pointed a finger at the book.

"Sirius, you're talking to a book," Remus replied, laughing quietly.

"Sirius may be crazy and talking to a book but I agree. Us Potters are awesome!" James said, smiling proudly. Snape just mumbled incoherent words under his breath.

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,**

Lily frowned. Did Petunia stop talking to her because she was jealous that Lily was a witch and not her? Or did she honestly Lily and her friends were freaks? She turned to her left to see James looking a little shocked.

"I thought you said that you and Petunia started talking a little bit again." Lily just shook her head at her husband, feeling bad for lying. She knew that she shouldn't have but it was only because he was worrying over her so much.

**because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish** **as it was possible to be.**

Frank spoke up next, addressing Lily. "No offence to your sister or her family but you and James already seem way better than them." He said stood up, holding the sandwich he snuck from the kitchen high in his hand and said loud, "Go unDursleyish!" Sirius was the only other one in the room to repeat the action since everyone, besides Alice who looked horrified and Snape who couldn't be bothered by them, were starting to laugh.

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

Hermione tried her best to keep her voice steady. Harry didn't fill Ron and Hermione in much on what his childhood and summers consisted of. The only thing she heard was when Ron told her what his room was like when the Weasley brothers rescued him the summer of second year.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair. **

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

"No owl just appears out of nowhere in a muggle house except for a muggle-born at the age of 11," Remus supplied leaving everyone thinking.

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"He seems wonderful."

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. **

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar — a cat reading a map.**

"McGonagall!" Sirius shouted, excited that he knew something that was actually going on in the book.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen — then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive — no, **_**looking **_**at the sign; cats couldn't read maps **_**or **_**signs. **

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. **

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with cloaks!" James said.

"Muggles don't wear cloaks," Frank answered before anyone else. He put his hands up in surrender as he got strange looks. "What? I paid attention in Muggle Studies!"

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes — the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together.**

**Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him!**

**But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt —these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it. **

**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills. **

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. **_**He **_**didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead.**

"Do muggles always try to convince themselves of that?" Remus asked. Lily and Hermione both nodded their heads.

**Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. **

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

Sirius chuckled. "Upon your description before, I don't think you need a bun from the bakery."

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. **

**This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. **

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard —" **

**" — yes, their son, Harry —"**

"Is he okay?" Lily asked. Hermione looked up and say worry in her eyes.

"Don't worry, he's—he'll be fine."

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead.**

"YES!" Sirius cheered.

"You idiot. It's a muggle expression," Severus said, immediately causing Sirius to glare at him yet pout since it wasn't true.

**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. **

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone,** **and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid.**

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name.**

"In the wizard world it is," Frank supplied. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew **_**was **_**called Harry. **

**He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold.**

"Poor children named Harold. Yikes."

**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if **_**he'd **_**had a sister like that… but all the same, those people in cloaks… **

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door. **

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!" **

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

"He's—he's gone?" Remus asked smiling. "He's gone! I mean, I bet we're all happy but still, this person needs to be more careful."

"Of what?" Sirius counted. "Of slipping about magic or actually using magic to be able to fit his arms around the Dursley's middle?"

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination. **

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw—and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. **

"McGonagall!"

"Shut up Sirius."

**It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

"See? McGonagall!"

James sighed and laughed at his friend's behavior. "No one said they doubted you Sirius."

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. **

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news: **

**"**_**And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**_

"Do you think he's a wizard?" Remus asked the group. Dumbledore smiled at him.

"There might be a slight chance."

**"**_**Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight." **_

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er — Petunia, dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister. **

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?" **

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…" **

**"**_**So?**_**" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

"Lovely woman, your sister."

"Please, don't remind me," Lily said to Frank as she leaned forward in thought. She did love her sister but how could she be acting like this, like she didn't even exist. Lily didn't want anyone to know how much it hurt her to hear this right now, she just couldn't.

**"Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… **_**her **_**crowd."**

"You mean wizards?" Lily snapped.

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son — he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?" **

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly. **

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?" **

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"Harry isn't a common name!" Lily snapped once more. She didn't think her sister would act like this. Well, it couldn't get much worse.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree." **

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something. **

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it. **

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters **_**were **_**involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect **_**them**_**… **

**How very wrong he was.**

James's face fell. "I really hope we don't have to live with them or something." Sirius put a comforting hand on his back.

"If you do, well, I'll miss you Prongs."

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

"How can McGonagall sit that long without moving?" Sirius pondered.

"Seriously, be quiet about McGonagall! We already know it's her," Hermione snapped this time.

"No need to snap at me," Sirius mumbled.

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. **

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"Hey Dumbledore! It's you!" James said in excitement. Hermione looked up at James and felt bad for him. He and Lily still didn't know that fate that awaited them tonight. "Are we having a party at the Dursley house?" Hermione began reading again. She didn't want him to get his hopes up too much.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." **

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"Can I have one?" Sirius and Frank asked at the same time.

"I'll duel you for it," Frank said, pulling out his wand.

"I'll win though," replied Sirius with a smirk, pulling his wand out too.

"I'm afraid, Misters Black and Longbottom, that I hope to use this in a very important matter. And once that matter has come and gone, I shall then choose the owner of the device," Dumbledore said.

**He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it. **

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"I KNEW IT! - OW! That was unfair Moony. It's not nice to hit," Sirius pouted.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked. **

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." **

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall. **

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here." **

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. **

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news."**

"See?" Remus pointed out. "Everyone thinks they're safe because Voldemort's not around but they're not!" Hermione gulped and stole a glance at a certain couple next to her. Even though Voldemort was gone by then, they weren't safe still.

**She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense." **

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"This year," Lily mumbled. She was thinking things over in her head. Harry would be so young. At least he would be growing up in a better world. James might even be able to show Harry how to play Quidditch.

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors." **

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really **_**has **_**gone, Dumbledore?" **

"**It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A **_**what**_**?" **

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.**

"Really, Professor Dumbledore?" James questioned. "You're lucky McGonagall never goes overboard with you."

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who **_**has **_**gone —" **

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: **_**Voldemort**_**."**

A few people in the room shuddered at hearing the name. "I do agree," said Dumbledore, smiling.

Sirius was just confused. "Well, of course you do. I mean, that's what you think in the future."

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, **_**Voldemort**_**, was frightened of." **

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have." **

"That's because you're too noble to even think about using them," Mrs. Weasley pointed out.

**"Only because you're too — well —**_**noble **_**to use them."**

"Hey! You sound like McGonagall!" Sirius pointed out. Severus looked a little disturbed.

"Are you obsessed, Black?" Sirius just ignored Snape completely.

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

This time, several people in the room shuddered at the image of that.

"I'm sorry Professor," Hermione began, "but I could have lived my entire life without knowing that."

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the **_**rumors **_**that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?" **

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer. **

**"What they're **_**saying**_**," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow.**

"What?" James, Sirius, Lilly, and Remus said in unison. They looked at each other, each worried about what happened.

**He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — **_**dead**_**."**

Hermione looked up to see utter shock on James and Lily's faces. Remus and Sirius paled as the others in the room were trying to take in this information.

"It just must be a rumor," Mrs. Weasley said, trying to convince herself more than anyone else that the couple that sat just nearby her were going to die.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. **

**"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"**

James was even more shocked at how much McGonagall cared about them. He turned to look at Lily to see a few tears escaping her eyes. She felt his eyes on her and turned her head. With little movement, she mouthed the word 'Harry' before starting to cry her eyes out. James pulled her close to him, letting a fear tears slip also.

Most people say that it is more heartbreaking for a parent to lose a child than a child to lose a parent and at that moment, Lily and James felt that they would die if anything happened to Harry. Harry was their love and joy. They were already so proud of him. Harry had an entire life ahead of him, he didn't deserve to die.

Yet, the Potters didn't want to die either. Who would take care of Harry? Is that why Dumbledore was at Petunia's house? Lily let a few more tears slip down her cheeks before looking at Hermione as if pleading for her to continue. She needed to know that Harry was okay.

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily. **

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry.**

Lily chocked on a sob behind the hand she held to her mouth. She was silently shaking her head, her worst nightmare coming true. James had pulled Lily closer to him, feeling just as worse as her.

**But he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."**

James smiled through his tears. "Lily, he survived. He's the reason that Voldemort's gone. He did it," he whispered to her. She smiled a little too, knowing that for now, Harry was okay.

Sirius thought that the room needed some cheering up so he said, "Man, being beat by a baby. That must put a blow on a guy's ego." He smiled as most of the people in the room laughed at least a little.

**Dumbledore nodded glumly. **

**"It's — it's **_**true**_**?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess." said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"Which means Dumbledore knows but won't tell you," Hermione mumbled under her breath. To her surprise, she heard Dumbledore chuckle and smile at her. Holding in a groan, she continued reading.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?" **

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me **_**why **_**you're here, of all places?" **

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"Are you mental?" Remus yelled out as he stood tall.

"I do believe I have good reasons, Mr. Lupin," was all he said.

**"You don't mean – you **_**can't **_**mean the people who live **_**here**_**?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!" **

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"And you'll be able to explain everything in a letter Albus? Where did you come up with that?" Mrs. Weasley asked incredulously.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?**

Taking a glance at one of his best friends, Sirius didn't even have the heart to point out that McGonagall and Molly thought alike… again.

**These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future — there will be books written about Harry**

"Yeah, we're reading one right now," said Frank with a small smile as James smiled at him.

— **every child in our world will know his name!" **

**"Exactly." said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

"Yes, much better. Especially with James and his big head as a father," Sirius said in a low voice, a smile on his face. James smiled a bit and hit Sirius in the stomach.

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it. **

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

"Hagrid?"

**"You think it —**_**wise **_**— to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore. **

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?" **

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"It sounds like my motorcycle! How cool would that be to finish it up to get it working!" Sirius exclaimed, hi-fiving Mr. Weasley in the process.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so **_**wild **_**— long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?" **

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

"YES!" Sirius cheered.

**"No problems, were there?" **

**"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

"Awww!" the girls cooed.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"It must be cool to have a scar like that. Just not for the reasons he got it," James said, finishing quietly.

**"Is that where —?" whispered Professor McGonagall. **

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever." **

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?" **

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.**

Lily shuddered. "I'm Dumbledore but I didn't need to know that."

"Is it really that useful?" Sirius asked, oblivious to the weird stares he was getting. Dumbledore chuckled a bit and nodded at the young man.

**Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with." **

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house. **

**"Could I — could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog. **

"Aw, poor Hagrid," Alice said, smiling as she remembered the half-giant from her Hogwarts years.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!" **

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it —Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles —"**

"Hagrid cares," James mumbled. He never thought the half-giant would care this much.

"Hagrid takes a fond liking to the both of you," said Dumbledore.

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

"You left him on the doorstep?" Mrs. Weasley asked. She didn't think Dumbledore would leave a poor defenseless baby out in the open!

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out. **

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." **

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir." **

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night. **

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. **

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. **

"**Good luck, Harry," he murmured.**

**He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone. **

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… **

**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!"**

"There you go Sirius, that's how Harry got his nickname. And that's also the end of the first chapter," Hermione said. Lily looked around the room then back at James. Were they really going to die? Excusing herself, she walked up the stairs to Ronald Weasley's room where three babies lay asleep. She walked over to the one she wanted to never let go and picked him up.

"I would do anything for you, Harry Potter," Lily whispered as she rocked the groggy child back and forth. James walked into the room and smiled when he saw his wife and son.

"Do you think this is why the Hermione girl came back from the future? To make sure we live?" he asked Lily. She stopped rocking the baby and looked up at him.

"I don't know. But now we can change it. We can live and be there for Harry," she said. Lily blinked back the tears. She knew Harry was going to be thinking about her and James often since they had died when he was only a baby and she needed to prepare herself for that.

"Lily, we can do this. We can change the future," James said with a hopeful smile on his face, one which Lily returned. Hermione and walked into the room.

"Are you okay?" she asked the couple. They looked at each other then nodded. "We're going to start the second chapter. Do you guys want to stay up here and have us fill you in later?" Lily shook her head and smiled.

"No, it's fine. Thank you though." With that, Lily set down that stairs, Harry in her arms, and reseated herself, James and Hermione following behind her.

"Can I read next?" James asked. Hermione nodded, handing the book to James who was on her right. Everyone, except Severus, leaned forward in anticipation for the next chapter.

"**Chapter 2**," James read aloud. "**The Vanishing Glass**."

**

* * *

**

Hi again. School has been drowning me in work and I rushed to do this. Also, it's about 12:10am as I'm re-reading and editing this so I apologize if it's really bad but I wanted to get this out. By the way, this is a lot harder than it looks! Haha sorry. :)

**Oh, anyone watch Glee last night? Ah, I love Darren Criss. Can't wait for the rest of his episodes! His voice has gotten even better (which is like whoa.) since the first A Very Potter Musical. So proud. Haha**

**Okay, so now that my teenie moment is gone, I should put a disclaimer since I'm using things directly from the book. So… I own nothing. Good? Good.**

**And to rachaelhannah: I'm trying hard to work Regulus in. I've been waiting too since you left your review. I might bend a few things to include him ;P**

**Enjoy! :D**

**Bye! :)**


	4. Why The Glass Vanishes

**The Time Turner**

_**Chapter 4**_

"**The Vanishing Glass**," James read aloud as every head turned towards him.

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls.**

**Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets — but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby,**

"That was all of that Dudley kid?" Sirius said to no one in particular as he laughed.

**and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother.**

**The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too. **

"Well," Frank began. "I guess someone got Harry out of there."

"Yes!" cheered Sirius. "I bet it was either me, Moony, or Wormtail!" Hermione felt her heart wrench at Sirius's happy smile.

"I doubt it. A chapter wouldn't start off with the Dursley's if Harry was saved," Lily said glumly. How could her sister act like this to her own nephew?

"Then how come we haven't gotten him out of there yet?" Remus asked. Everyone in the room looked at Hermione expectantly.

"I'm not telling you. If the books don't, which I'm pretty sure they will, then I'll tell you," she said to the room full of anxious people.

**Yet Harry Potter was still there,**

Lily looked ever sadder at this statement. "See?" she mumbled. Her eyes subconsciously travelled to Harry who was fast asleep in her arms. She practically smiled at how peaceful he seemed.

**asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day. **

"**Up! Get up! Now!" **

Snape winced at that. He remembered how she used to yell at Snape. It definitely was not a pleasant thing to experience, let alone wake up to. Remus noticed the change in demeanor of the greasy haired man beside him. He quickly glanced at him to see the blank face of Severus Snape looking anywhere but James.

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. **

"**Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"Of course. It was never a dream," Alice commented.

**His aunt was back outside the door. **

"**Are you up yet?" she demanded. **

"**Nearly," said Harry. **

"**Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn,**

"Is he supposed to cook?" Lily asked. She could feel her blood boil. "My own sister-"

"Lily, you don't want to get all worked up right. Trust me," Hermione said. She wouldn't let Lily know but her blood was boiling as well.

**I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

**Harry groaned. **

"**What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door. **

"**Nothing, nothing…" **

**Dudley's birthday — how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider** **off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**

"WHAT?" several people screamed.

"I'LL KILL HER!" Lily screamed.

"How DARE she do that to MY son!" James yelled at the same time. Hermione glanced over towards Remus and Sirius to see them close together, muttering things to one another. As she glanced to the other side of the room, she saw Snape talking quietly to Dumbledore. She watched as Dumbledore nodded silently before his attention was taken away from Snape.

"Why didn't you let me take care of Harry?" Sirius yelled at the old man.

"You expect him to let you take care of a baby when you can barely take care of yourself?" Severus snorted. Sirius twitched and reached towards his wand.

"Don't," Hermione said in a surprisingly low voice that made the entire room go quiet.

"I don't care if you take away my wand, I'm bound to curse him at least once before we get done with these books," Sirius growled. Standing up, Hermione took out her wand and silently sent the wand from Sirius's pants to her hand.

"I'm not going to risk anyone cursing each other." Hermione took a look at everyone's face within the room. "Since Sirius doesn't care if his wand is taken or not, I guess that won't be punishment enough. If anyone even attempts to curse someone else," her eyes travelled between Sirius and Snape, "then I'm taking these books and leaving. You won't be able to prevent anything. And I can guarantee that half of the people in this room-" Hermione stopped herself from saying anymore.

Remus stood up and eyed her closely. "Half of us will what?" he asked her.

"James, read," she ordered before sitting down again. He took a look at everyone around the room before resuming reading.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike.**

"What's a telivishon?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"It's like the moving photos except it's a bigger and muggles use it to watch things," Hermione explained. Mr. Weasley smiled big and looked expectantly towards his wife as if he was silently asking her permission to fix one up.

**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat**

Sirius snorted and mumbled something along the lines of, "That's what you get."

**and hated exercise — unless of course it involved punching somebody.**

**Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry,**

James gritted his teeth together. He didn't care what Lily said but he was going to get them for this.

**but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast**.

"Seems like he took that scrawny aspect from James," Sirius said smirking. James rolled his eyes and silently sent a hex towards Sirius. Sirius jumped up immediately and pointed at Hermione as boils began to appear on his face.

"Why aren't you taking his wand away? Didn't you see that?" Sirius yelled at the bushy haired girl.

She smiled big at him and made her voice seem as innocent as could be. "See what?" Sirius growled and muttered incoherent words under his breath as he glared at Hermione. Frank and James were the only ones not able to hold their laughter in at Sirius and couldn't breathe. It took a few moments for them to settle down before James started reading again.

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. **

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobby knees, black hair,**

James smiled wide and looked at Harry as he said the next line.

**and bright green eyes.**

**He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose.**

Sirius was muttering revenge as he cracked his knuckles.

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

The room fell silent. Mrs. Weasley leaned across and put a comforting hand on Lily's knee. "He doesn't know what it means."

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it. **

**"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said.**

"Like hell I would die in a car crash!" James yelled. Lily felt her heartbreak. How could her sister not tell Harry about magic? It would be the only thing he has to them. Tears prickled Lily's eyes. How bad had their relationship gotten before she died that Petunia didn't even tell Harry the truth?

"**And don't ask questions." **

**Don't ask questions — that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. **

"**Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

"No use!"

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way — all over the place. **

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. **

**Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel — Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.**

"Prongs, did I ever tell you how much I love your son?"

"Padfoot," James said slowly. "You're crazy."

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell. **

"**Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

"Thirty-six?" Alice yelled. "I see they like to spoil the little brat!" The room was shocked at Alice's outburst. It was out of character for her.

"How much you want to bet that Harry barely gets any?" Lily said bitterly.

"**Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy." **

"**All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over. **

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?" **

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty… thirty…"**

"Ever Sirius could do that math!" commented Remus.

"Yeah!" Sirius agreed. "Hey! That was not nice Moony. That hurt." Remus rolled his eyes as Hermione laughed.

"I think you'll survive."

"**Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

"**Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then." **

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. **

"**Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. **

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. **

**He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried. **

"**Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him."**

**She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

"Can't even say his name? Why, if that was my sister-"

Alice put her hand on her husbands' arm. "You'd be in Azkaban. Much like James would be if he stops twitching and goes after them."

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned. **

"**Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again. **

"**We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested. **

"**Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

"As if you don't," a low voice came from Lily. She glared at Dumbledore. "Why did you put Harry with them? Don't you see that he's miserable?" Dumbledore held up his hands in surrender.

"I believe my future self has very good reasons for putting Harry with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there — or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug. **

Hermione suppressed a laugh which everyone misinterpreted.

Remus was the first to speak. "Why are you laughing at that?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"No- no. You guys. I'm not laughing at Harry," she began. James was the next one to speak.

"Then what could you possibly be laughing at?" he asked as the anger in his voice was _very_ clear.

"It has to do with slugs and- and you guys will understand later. If it isn't in any of these books then I'll tell you guys," she finished. Some people in the room didn't seem satisfied with the answer she gave but shrugged it off for now.

"**What about what's-her-name, your friend — Yvonne?" **

"**On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia. **

"**You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. **

"**And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled. **

"**I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

"**I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "… and leave him in the car…"**

"**That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone…" **

"He's not a dog!" Mr. Weasley supplied to the room as James took a deep breath.

"Nothing's wrong with dogs!" Sirius said which made him receive strange looks from some people in the room.

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying — it had been years since he'd really cried — but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted. **

"**Dinky Duddydums,**

Sirius and Snape snorted at this but stopped suddenly and just glared at each other.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him. **

"**I… don't… want… him… t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. **

James tried to keep his voice steady. All he wanted to do right now was rip them apart for treating Harry like this. Yet he knew that if they didn't stop his and Lily's deaths, Harry's situation at the Dursleys would be worse.

**Just then, the doorbell rang — "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically — and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. **

**Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.**

**Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.**

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

"**I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy — any funny business, anything at all — and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."**

"They wouldn't!"

"**I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly…" **

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.**

"Magic," Lily smiled.

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.**

**Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. **

"I'm glad he has his accidental magic. Shows them."

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

"Or not," James said, finishing the rest of his statement from before with a frown on his face.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). **

Remus, James, and Sirius shuddered at how something similar to that was worn voluntarily by Peter in their fifth year.

**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. **

**Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. **

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. **

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trashcans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump.**

"That is the saddest excuse for accidental magic I've ever heard," Hermione said. "Even when it happened to me, I sort of knew why."

"You're a muggle-born?" Lily asked her. Hermione just nodded her head.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. **

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"… **roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them. **

"**I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

James was groaning as he read the last part of the sentence. If the Dursleys weren't too keen on imagination, he doubted they'd appreciate this.

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" **

**Dudley and Piers sniggered. **

"**I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream." **

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon — they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. **

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop.**

"This is bad," Remus began, the worry beginning to fill the parents that sat next to him.

Mr. Weasley was confused. "Why? It's just an ice pop."

"Things never seem to be good for too long with Harry," Lily responded for Remus and looked down at the boy in her arms once more.

**It wasn't bad, either,** **Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

The room was full or snorting and laughter at this.

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. **

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. **

**Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

"See?" Lily mumbled.

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can** — **but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. **

"**Make it move," he whined at his father.**

"Bloody git."

**Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. **

"**Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. **

"**This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away. **

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house. **

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's. **

**It winked.**

"I think your son's gone crazy," commented Frank. "Or maybe he's just tired."

**Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

"Crazy!"

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: **

"**I get that all the time."**

James furrowed his eyes in confusion when Lily lowered her voice and whispered to him, "You don't think he can-" But James shook his head quickly.

"No one in my family can and I doubt anyone in yours can."

"**I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." **

**The snake nodded vigorously. **

"**Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked. **

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it. **

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

"**Was it nice there?" **

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"**

"Idiot boy," Snape said quietly. Dumbledore glanced at the man beside him. He had been in deep thought as to why Hermione wanted Severus here. She couldn't possibly know, right?

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

"**Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. **

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened — one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. **

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.**

**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. **

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come… Thanksss, amigo."**

"He made the glass vanish," Alice mumbled, the title of the chapter finally making sense to everyone. "Do you think he can speak to snakes?" she asked the room. Everyone went silent and James and Lily exchanged looks. "Hermione," she began, turning to the girl who was not that far away from her. "Do you know?"

Hermione nodded her head. "Well yes, I do know if he is or not. But right now, it's not relevant."

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock. **

"**But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?" **

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed,**

"Damn," Sirius mumbled.

**but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"****.**

"That boy is so-"

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go — cupboard — stay — no meals,"**

"NO MEALS?" James yelled and stood up. The book clambered to the floor and the rest of the room didn't know what to do. Lily handed Harry to Mrs. Weasley and stood up before dragging James out of the room and into the backyard.

"James," Lily began.

"Lily, your sister is mental! Your brother-in-law is mental! That entire family is mental!" James yelled as he paced back and forth. Lily felt angry tears fill her eyes.

"Don't you think I know that? How do you think I feel knowing how heartless my sister could be to Harry?" James stopped pacing and looked Lily in the eyes.

"Lil-"

"I don't know why Dumbledore sent Harry to live with them and be treated like…" Lily couldn't even form words to convey how betrayed and disgusted she felt with her sister. "Be treated like _that_!" Lily let everything out. Tears flowed down her cheeks before James pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back in a soothing manor.

"Lily, we're gonna change this. We're only two chapters into the first book and we can't keep run out of the room every chapter!" James began, wiping away Lily's cheeks. "We would never finish. We need to stick in there. For Harry." Lily mutely nodded her head as James hugged her once more. He pulled away, kissed her forehead, and led her back into the sitting room. James didn't give anyone a chance to talk as he quickly picked up the book and found the page that he left off at before reading again.

**before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. **

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

"Like a Marauder. Although I wish he won't get caught," Remus said.

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died.**

"Because that's not how we died."

**Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead.**

Lily winced at this as James tensed. Everyone in the room seemed to let their eyes travel to Harry's forehead as he lay quietly in Mrs. Weasley's arms.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all.**

James wished that somehow Harry would find out about them. He just couldn't imagine what he would be going through. He could feel his heartbreak as he stole another look at Harry. He was only almost one year old and he barely had any time with his parents. It just wasn't right.

**His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened;**

"Where are you guys?" Frank asked the Marauders. They looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well, I probably won't get Harry because of um… some laws," Remus said before quickly continuing so no one would ask him questions. "And I can't imagine Wormtail being trusted with a child. But Padfoot," Remus said turning towards one of his best friends, "I don't know why you aren't there."

"Sir?" Sirius asked Dumbledore. Dumbledore seemed to notice this and turned his full attention towards him.

"I do not know what future events happened that I could not trust you with Harry but otherwise, I would have believed that I would."

**the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. **

**A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.**

"Of course!" Alice said triumphantly. "They're wizards! Wizards that are living in the muggle world for who knows what reason but they're still wizards!" Lily smiled slightly at that. Harry wasn't completely cut off from the wizarding world.

**At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"That's only because they're a bunch of gits," James commented as he finished the chapter. He turned towards his right and handed the book towards Lily. "Care to read, love?" he asked her. She sighed and nodded while he took Harry back from Mrs. Weasley.

"**Chapter 3**," Lily began. "**The Letters From No One.**"

* * *

**HI! I apologize for the delayed upload. But eh, life gets busy and school thinks it's amazing to drown students in homework. Anyway, hoped you liked this chapter! Until next time, bye! :)**


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